Source Assignment. With your whole class or a small group, collaborate to interview someone from campus or the local community with special knowledge about a matter that concerns the group. Prepare by turning to background sources: your interviewee’s Web page, social media presence, or résumé; any campus or local news coverage; public-meeting or presentation records; or relevant statistics. Plan the interview by working together on these questions:
What do you want to find out? What lines of questioning will you pursue? What topic will each student ask about? How much time will each have to ask a series of questions? Who will record the interview (if your subject agrees)? Who will take notes (as your record or backup)?
Preview each other’s questions to avoid duplication. Ask open-ended, not yes/no, questions to encourage discussion. Your group’s product can be many individual papers or one collaborative effort (such as a paper, an online threaded discussion, or a blog), as your instructor directs. Be sure to credit all of your sources.